1,000 Washington State Employers Have Tapped Stay at Work
Many businesses aren't sure how they can use the program, which is meant to keep injured workers on the job in light-duty positions.
Washington state's Department of Labor & Industries announced a series of workshops around the state to help employers take advantage of the new Stay at Work program. Even though L&I has reimbursed more than 1,000 employers almost $5.5 million for using it –- the program provides as much as half of a worker's base wages for up to 66 days or $10,000 per claim if he or she is placed in light-duty or transitional work –- many are uncertain how it can benefit them, L&I said Aug. 23.
The 90-minute workshops will take place in:
- Yakima, Sept. 11, 9–10:30 a.m. and 2–3:30 p.m.
- Everett, Sept. 13, 10-11:30 a.m.
- Kelso, Oct. 8, 9–10:30 a.m. and 2–3:30 p.m.
- Everett, Nov. 8, 10–11:30 a.m.
- Spokane, Dec. 11, 9–10:30 a.m. and 2–3:30 p.m.
- Tukwila, Dec. 13, 10–11:30 a.m.
The agency projects Stay at Work will save $32 million annually by keeping workers on the job and reducing the chance of long-term disability. "And getting injured workers out of their homes and back in the workplace has additional benefits — studies show that people off work longer than six months have only a 50 percent chance of ever returning to their job, while those who get back to work enjoy faster recovery times and improved lifelong health," its announcement states.
To sign up for a workshop, visit www.StayatWork.Lni.wa.gov or call 1-866-406-2482.